Assignment: PHI446A Philosophy of Science

Total Marks: 20

Raven Paradox
Part A
Answer any one of the following two questions.
(5 marks, 200 words)

1.

What is the justification to consider Equivalence Condition as a necessary

condition of confirmation?
2. What is the justification to consider Nicods Criterion as a sufficient
condition of confirmation?
Part B
Answer any one of the following three questions.
(15 marks, 600 words)
1.

Explain the intuition of Hempels solution and analyse whether his

solution succeeds in articulating the intuition.
Critically analyse Hempels solution.

2. Critically analyse the Bayesian solution to the paradox.

Does it really violate the Quantitative equivalence condition? Explain
your position.
3. Formulate your own solution to the paradox.

Instruction for this assignment: The assignment is due on 1 February, 2016

in class. The word limit is 800 words. Please submit typed hard copies. Leave
adequate space for writing comments in the typed copy of your assignment.
Most importantly, write in your own language and strictly avoid plagiarism.
Plagiarism, in any form, will NOT be tolerated. It is plagiarism if you copy
something word-for-word a friends assignment; or an essay a tutor has
written for you; or a discussion from the reader or a book or the web without
clearly indicating that these are someone elses words and citing the

source. It is plagiarism if you paraphrase someone elses writing rearranging

or changing their words, but keeping some of the structure and ideas without
clearly indicating that these are someone elses ideas and citing the source.
(From Course Policy).
If you are quoting from any book or article, write the sentence within quotation
marks. After the quotation, give the source of the quotation in brackets and list
the source in your bibliography. If you have adopted any idea from books or
article or webpage, you should enlist them in the bibliography even if you are not
quoting from it.
While writing the assignments, emphasis should be given on critically analysing
the text. If an example or argument in the assignment is completely yours,
please specify it in the assignment. Your original contributions (analysis,
examples) presented in the assignment will be given additional weightage during
valuation.